I like think that the music industry was being too clever for its own good when they began selling records on Compact Disks. I'd like to think that some pony tailed ponce of a record executive sat there and thought that it was yet another way of getting us suckers for paying for the same song again having it on vinyl and tape already, we were sure to want it on CD.
Of course, what it did do was usher in new way for people to get free music as millions of people ripped the songs to their computer and shared them online.
What this has done is bought about the decline of Albums and i'm perfectly okay about that because if i'm being honest, i don't own one album that i listen to from start to finish without skipping through some of the tracks.
What sites like iTunes have done is almost make the Album obsolete as people don't download whole albums, they download the singles they like off them and then usually make up a compilation CD with the best songs off each album on it.
Albums sales were down again last year, 12% for 2009, although overall, music sales were up 2% and always having one eye on the profit, record companies are going to get wise to this and stop putting out albums and just release singles until they get enough to make Best of Albums and flog us them.
It may be a few years until it reaches this point but i see it as the obvious conclusion and i can't say that i am that upset about it. I have paid money out for too many albums that have had a few decent songs and the rest that wouldn't come within a mile of being released as a single but are deemed worthy of earning a place on the Album.
I wouldn't mourn the death of the album whatsoever.
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